U.S. ACCUSES G.I.'S OF DRUG SMUGGLING

Published: May 16, 1993

SEATTLE, May 15—
Soldiers used military transport planes to smuggle more than 200 pounds of cocaine into the United States from Panama, the authorities announced this week.

Three of 11 people charged in a Federal indictment have been arrested, prosecutors said Thursday. Those arrested are current or former soldiers who were stationed at Fort Lewis, near Tacoma.

Spot inspections revealed the shipment method when nearly four and a half pounds of cocaine were found in the false sides of a briefcase carried by a passenger who arrived at Charleston, S.C., on a military flight bound for Fort Lewis from Panama in October 1990.

"Customs does check military flights, but they do not check them the way they check a Colombian plane coming in from Bogota, for example," said Lawrence A. LaDage, the Customs Service agent in charge of Washington and Oregon. Courier Distribution Plan

Cocaine from a ring based in Colon, Panama, was brought to Tacoma and sent by courier to New York, Miami, Los Angeles and other destinations, Mr. LaDage said.

A grand jury in Tacoma began hearing evidence in 1991 and returned a sealed indictment that year. It was made public with the first arrests this week.

Darryl Loveless, 27, a member of the 864th Engineers Battalion at Fort Lewis, was arrested Wednesday at the base. He remains in custody pending a bail hearing. Prosecutors would not give his rank but said he was an enlisted man.

Eduardo Ernesto Joseph, 31, a Panamanian, was arrested in Tampa, Fla., where he was living. Mona Marie Philon Reyna, 26, a United States citizen, was arrested at her job in San Antonio. Both are former soldiers, and both served at Fort Lewis.

Ms. Reyna was freed on bond pending a court appearance scheduled for next Friday. Mr. Joseph will appear in court later, a prosecutor said.

The eight other people named in the indictment, including five Panamanians, are still being sought.

One hundred to 120 kilograms, or 220 to 262 pounds, of cocaine with an estimated wholesale value of $2 million was smuggled into this country before the case was cracked, Mr. LaDage said.